Sole-pressing last



' Nov. 1, 1938. KSA'MDT 2,135,016

SOLE PRESS ING LAST Filed No /11, 1936 I 7 Sheets-Shed 1 Inventor:

Nov. 1,19%. K. SANDT 2,135,016

SOLE PRESSING LAST Filed Nov. 11, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 1 l l -r Ir 2,135,016 sous: PRESSING LAST Filed Nov. 11, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 4' ihfi f Nov. 1, 1938. K. SANDT 2,135,016

SOLE PRESSING LAST 7 Filed Nov. 11, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 widge 2;

NOV; 1, 1938. I SANDT 1' 2,135,016

SOLE

NG LAST Filed Nov. 11,1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 1, 1938. K. SA-NDT2,135,016

SOLE PRESSING LAST Filed Nov. i1, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Nov. 1,1938 UNITED PATENT OFFICE Application November 11, 1936, Serial No.110,368 In Germany November .9, 1933 13 Claims.

The smoothing of the soles of footwear is usually done, at the presentday, in strong sole presses, which are preferably. driven hydraulicallyfor equalizing the thickness of the soles. In this a somewhat speciallyshaped steel last is used as the smoothing last, which on account of thehigh pressure is as a rule formed in one piece with the last pillar orlast carrier. For long sided footwear however, the steel last isseparate from the last pillar. V

Now it is diflicult to dimension the steel last so that on the one handit can stand the relatively high stress and on the other hand enablesthe piece of work to beeasily set up. The prob- 151cm is especiallydifiicult to solve with footwear having a closed vamp over the lacing orsome other reduction in width in the instep, as for example in highlegged boots, hunting and sporting boots with a high closure tongue andhigh laced motoring boots, because on the one hand a division of thelast and the last pillar cannot be avoided and on the other hand the toeof the shoe must be freely carried.

The invention relates to a last, which is more particularly for use forpressing soles. The characteristic of the invention lies in the factthat the last pillar on its side directed towards the heel of the lastis reduced towards the toe of the last so that after releasing thelocking hooks and on pushing the last towards the toe, the last pillarcomes back with its projecting part in the region of the leg of the shoeand with its reduced part in the free space below the heel of the lastand the last and the piece of work can be removed upwards from the lastpillar. Due to the projecting extension of the last pillar, the toe ofthe last which is otherwise freely carried receives a thorough supportagainst the high pressure which results during pressing. In spite ofthis the 40. projecting extension does not interfere with the removal ofthe last from the pillar, because after releasing the catches the lastcan be so moved on the last pillar that its projecting heel endcoincides with the last pillar and the projecting extension of thepillar comes back into the last, whereby the piece of work with thesmoothing last may be easily removed. The fore-mentioned extensioncorresponds to the wedge of a gripping last, but in the present casedoes not have to be removed separately from the shoe in order to makepossible removal from the last.

The device can be so arranged that the last is operated positively. Withthis object it may beconnected to a rod or drive actuated by themachine, whichmoves it automatically into the pressure position when thelast. pillar is raised and pushes it towards the toe of the shoe whenthe last pillar sinks.

1 The object of the invention is illustrated by way of example in thedrawings by various con- 5 structions:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sole press;

Figure 2 shows a side view in part section through the complementarypieces which are in 10 the pressing position- Figure 3 shows a similarview and the position of the parts while the piece of work is beingchanged.

Figure 4 sliows'a longitudinal section of the 5 inner form on the lineIII-III ofFi'gure 2.

Figure '5.is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing thelast in operative position onth'e last pillar and the last pillarelevated into operative relation with the upper form. 20

Figure 6 is a broken view of the last pillar and last of theconstruction shown in Figure 5, with the; last moved to an inoperativeposition with respect to the pillar preparatory to. removing the lastand footwear from the last pillar. 25

a Figure 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of Figure 5; v

Figure 8 is a section on the line VIIIVIII of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the machine em- 30 bodying. the modifiedform shown in Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the. initial removal ofthe footwear.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the last in position topermit, its separation 35 from the last pillar for the substitution ofanother last.

Figure 124is a sectional view -.on the line 2HI-XII of FigureQ.

Figure 13 isanelevational view, partly in s-ec- 40 tioriyilliistratinga'modified form of machine.

Figure 14 is a section on the line XlV-XIV of Figure 13.

Figure 15 isa view showing the modified construction of Figure 13 withparts'in position to 4.5

in respect to the spherical calotte 3 by means of 55 an adjustable stopI (Figure 5). The stop I is arranged on the sledge 5 that is screwed tothe upper form, so that in changing the upper form, which can be done bymerely drawing the sledge out of its guide, the actual setting of thestop can be maintained. The position which the upper form takes up inrelation to the calotte 3 is fixed by the action of a ball detent 8(Figure 5) fixed in the guide sledge. In withdrawing the upper form 6the ball detent 8 is temporarily pressed inwards against a compressionspring 9.

As shown in Figure 2 the last I6, which is separate from the last pillarand which can be moved horizontally on it and fixed, grips over the lastpillar I I like a saddle. 1 In the saddle like projections I3 of thelast III eyes are provided in which the locking hooks I4 and I5 engage.These are arranged in groove-like apertures in the last pillar I I. Theyare pressed apart by a spring I6.

The locking hooks I4 and I5 are prevented from falling out of the groovelike apertures by means of plates I1 and I8 attached to the last pillarII. On the locking hooks I4 and I5 buttons I9 and 20 are provided, whichpass through the plates I1 and I 8 and which can be moved inwards bypressing on the soft sides of the leg of the boot, in order to move thelocking hooks I4 and I5 towards each other against the pressure of thespring I6 and undo the catches of the last.

Setting up the boot 2| is done-as follows: first the smoothing last I!)is inserted in the boot, then the boot 2| together with the smoothinglast I is pushed over the last pillar H which stands on the support 22.The last and the last pillar are then in the position shown in Figure 3.Meanwhile, by pushing the boot 2| and the last II! on the track 23 ofthe last pillar II the locking hooks I4 and'I5 are brought intoengagement with the openings in the saddle parts I3, so that the boot 2|comes into a position ready for working on it, as shown in Figure 2. Inthis position the last IO'has its heel end projecting over the lastpillar. To remove it from the last the buttons I9 and 2B are pressedfrom the outside to move the locking hooks I4 and I inwards and undo thecatches of the last. The last is then pushed relatively to the lastpillar so that the last pillar goes back into the space below the heelof the last and takes up the posi-' tion shown in Figure 3. The boot andlast can then be removed from the last pillar and there-' after the lasttaken out of the boot.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 5 to 12 the machine piston24, which can be raised or lowered, carries a last pillar 25 which isused to support the last 26. The footwear 2| which is put on the last isindicated in the drawings by chain dotted lines. 0n the side of the lastpillar which is directed towards the heel there is arranged a verticallymovable push rod 21, to the upperend of which is pivoted a link 28. Theupper end of the link 28 is hook shaped and is hung on to a cross pin 29of the last. The push rod 21 is provided with a stud 3|] which works ina groove in the last pillar 25 (Figure 12) and limits the up and downmovement of the push rod. At the lower end of the push rod 2'! there isa lost motion connection 3| which works in conjunction with the upperend of a connecting rod 33 pivoted to piston guide 32 and moves the pushrod 21 up and down between the limits alrea y described due to theaction of the' relative movement between the machine piston 24 and thepiston guide 32. In order to allow for the difierences'in height, thelost motion couthe lost motion coupling may be replaced by any similardevice.

During the pressing of the sole of the foot wear 2I, the upper form andthe last pillar with the last are in the position shown in Figure 5 ofthe drawings. As soon as the last 26 is moved away from the upper form 6and when the piston 24 sinks, the action of the connecting rod providedbetween its pin 29 and the stationary piston guide 32 causes the last tomove so far in the direction of the toe of the shoe, that due to thereturn movement of the last pillar 25 a space results under the instepwhich allows removal from the last (Figure 8). After this the footwearis drawn off the last pillar 25 and the last 25, whereby relatively tothe last it is temporarily in the position shown in Figure 10. In thisposition the space under the instep formed by the'sliding of thesmoothing last disappears, because in lifting off the shoe sole theupper leather is raised with it and thus comes into the position shown.In setting up work on the last the, same operations proceed in thereverse order.

For interchanging, the last 26 is brought into the position shown inFigure 11 in which it can be easily withdrawn from the link 28. As thelast can only be brought into the position shown in Figure 11 after thepiece of work has been removed, it can only be separated from the lastpillar when in the unloaded position. Thus an unintentional removal ofthe last from the last pillar during pressing, or during the setting upor removal of footwear from the last, is impossible.

In the present invention care is taken togive effective support to thetoe of the last by the particular construction of the last and of thepart of the last pillar which projects into the toe of the shoe duringthe smoothing process. With this object it would seem that the toe ofthe last could be strengthened. In this connection it should be noticedthat for a series of smoothing lasts at most only one pair of lastpillars is necessary, while in general'for each shoe number within aseries a special pair of smoothing lasts is 1 necessary. Thus if onewished to make the lasts themselves stronger by using a higher tensilesteel or by using a thicker cross section considerably increased costswould result. However, with a'last in accordance with the invention thetoe of the last pillar 25 whichgrips underneath the toe of the last ismade stronglythus resultingin a powerfulbase for the toe of the last. Inorder to allow for this strengthening of the last pillar 25 and toensure that the last 26 is in the correct place in the pressingposition'the last 26 is hollowed out on its underside for engaging thestrengthened toe of the, last pillar, as can be seen in the drawings.This however does not cause a weakening of the effective carrying crosssec pling 3I is formed as a drag coupling. Naturally tion of the toe ofthelast; because the last grips over the last carrier like a saddle andin this wayto 15 the piston 24 of the machine is rigidlycon nected to alast pillar 34. The last pillar is provided with an arcuate guide 35 onwhich the smoothing last 36 is slidably arranged. The

last terminates in a last support 31 which is made integral withit, andwhich in the position shown in Figure 13 abuts againsttwo fork that thelast is correctly guided on the last pillar.

The chaindotted lines represent a shoe 39 having a narrow opening. Thelast 36 is provided with a complete or practically complete heel. Across pin- 40 having a roller 4| mounted thereon, is provided on thelast support. As shown in Figure 13 the roller lies in a jaw 42 of alink 43 having an inclined surface 44. The link 43 is formed as a leverpivotally'mounted to the pivot pin 45 and has an arm 46 having its endconnected to a tension spring 41 the other end of which is attached toafixedmounting 48. The pivot pin 45 is housed in a projection on asliding sleeve 49 which is slidably arranged on an upstanding lug 50which is fixed in the upper end 5i of the piston guide.

The method of operation of the press in accordance with Figures 13-to 15is as follows:

During the pressing of the sole thelast and last pillar are in theposition shown in Figure 13. When the piston sinks the last pillar 34with the last 36'moves downwards, until the sliding sleeve 49' abutsagainst the fixed projection 5|. Then with the further downward movementof the piston 24 the forklike projections 38 move away from the lastsupport 31, whereby the link 43 which is under the influence of thetension spring 4?,

pushes the last onthe arcuate guide finally into the position shown inFigure 15. In this position sufficient space is available under theinstep, to facilitate the removal of the work from the last. In settingwork up on the last the same operation takes place in a reverse order.

The exchange of the last 36 is made possible by undoing the link 43,whereupon after separating the last 36 from the push rod the last can beeasily Withdrawn from thelast pillar 34.

I claim? 1. In a sole pressing machine, a last carryinga pillar formedat the upper end t'o'present a toe side and a heel side, a smoothinglast, means for guiding the smoothing last with respect to the uppersurface of thepillar', means for fixing the last with respect to thepillar in an operative position to arrange the heel portion of thelastbeyond the heel portion of the pillar and the toe portion of the lastbeyond'the toe portion of the pillar,'me'ans for releasing the'locking'means to permit the last to be moved to an inoperative position wherebythe heel portion of the last is substantially aligned with the heelportion of the pillar, the last in operative position supporting anarticle of footwear for sole" pressing purposes, with the leg of suchfootwear embracing the pillar at an inclination thereto and preclud- 36ing convenient removal of the article of footwear,

the last in the inoperative position causing the leg'of the footwear tobe changed in position with respect tothe pillar to permit convenientremoval of the article of footwear, and means for retaining' the last'ininoperative position.

2. In a sole pressing machine, a smoothing last, a last carrying pillar,the toe side of the pillar projecting toward the toe portion of the lastand the heel portion of the last projecting beyond the heel side of thepillar, means for moving the pillar, the last and the article offootwear carried thereby into pressing position, positioning meansoperated by the pillar moving means and connected to the last to movethe last relative to the pillar in the pressing movement of the pillarinto a position with the toe side of the pillar underlying the toeportion of the last and the heel side of the pillar disposed inwardly ofthe heel portion of the last, said positioning means operating in thereverse movement of the pillar to move the last and footwear carriedthereby in a direction to dispose the last and footwear carried therebyfor convenient upward movement relative to the pillar.

3. In a sole pressing means, a smoothing last, a

last carrying pillar on which the last is movably su ported, apiston-for moving the last pillar, last and article of footwearsupported on the last,a push rod guided on the last pillar and operatedrelative to the pillar in the movement of the pi'ston, a connectionbetween the push rod and'heel portion of the last, said push rodoperating through said connection to move the lastand footwear carriedthereby into predetermined pressing relation to the pillar in themovement of the pillar in one direction andto move the last relative tothe pillar to dispose the pillar substantially in alignment with the legportion of the footwear upon the last in the opposite movement of thepillar.

4. In a sole pressing machine, a last pillar, a smoothing last mountedfor movement thereon, a

piston operating the last pillar, a guide on the machine in which thepiston slides, a push rod slidably guided on the last pillar, anintermediate toggle connectionbetween the push rod and the heel part'ofthe last, and a lost motion coupling connecting the push rod to thepiston guide, the push rod operating in the movement of thepillar in thepressing direction to cause the last to toe portion of the last when thelatter is in opera tive position and a heel part disposed-inwardly ofthe heel portion of the last, a piston for moving the pillar, last andfootwear carried by the last .into pressing position, a piston foroperating'the pillar, a guide on the machine in which the piston slides,a push rod guided on the pillar and operated relativeto' the pillar inthe movement of the latter, a toggle member connected to the push rodand tothe heel part of the last, and a lost motion coupling connectingthe push rod to the guide, the toggle connection having a .terminal hookto engage a complementary part of thelast, whereby to permit separationof the last from the pillar in'a predetermined position of the last andin the absence of footwear on the last," the movement of the pillartoward pressing position causing the relative movement of the push rodto set the last in operative position on the pillar, theoppositemovement of the pillar serving through the push rod to move thelast relative to the pillar to a position to permit removal of thefootwear from the last and pillar.

6. In a sole pressing machine, a pillar, a last supported on and movablerelative to the pillar, the pillar at the end cooperating with the lasthaving a projecting toe portion and a reduced heel portion, the pressingposition of the last relative to the pillar causing the toe portion ofthe pillar to reinforce and support the toe portion of the last and theheel portion of the last to be disposed outwardly beyond the reducedheel portion of the pillar, the inoperative position of the lastdisposing the reduced heel portion of the pillar beneath the heel of thelast-and the toe portion of the pillar remote from the toe of the last,a piston for moving the pillar, last and article of footwear carried bythe last into and from pressing position, a rod connected to .themachineand guided on the pillar, said rod being movable relative to thepillar'in the operation of the piston, a connection between the rod andlast for movingthe last in operative position relative to the pillar inthe movement of the pillar toward pressing position and for moving thelast into inoperative position with respect to the pillar in themovement of the pillar from pressing position, and cooperating means onthe pillar and last to compel movement of the last along predeterminedlines relative to the pillar.

7. In a sole pressing machine, a last pillar, a last supported on andmovable relative to the pillar, the last pillar having a projecting toeportion and a reduced heel portion, the last when in operative pressingposition relative to the pillar being disposed with its toe partreinforced and supported by the toe portion of the pillar and its heelpart projecting outwardly beyond the heel part of the pillar, a rodconnected to the machine and movable relative to the pillar in theoperation of the pillar, a piston for operating the pillar, a connectionbetween the rod and last'to move the last into operative position on theupward movement of thepillar and into inoperative position upon thedownward movement of the pillar, and means for limiting the relativemovement between the rod and pillar.

8. In a sole pressing machine, a last pillar, a smoothing last supportedby and movable relative to the pillar, the pillar having a projectingtoe'part and a reduced heel part, the last in operative pressingposition on the pillar having its toe portion supported by the toe partof the pillar and its heel portion projecting outwardly beyond the heelpart of the pillar, a piston for moving the pillar, last and footwearcarried by the last to and from a pressing position, a rod connected tothe machine and movable relative to the pillar in the movement of thepillar by the piston, a connection between the rod and last operatingtomove the last and footwear carried thereby into operative position tothe pillar in the movement of the pillar toward pressing position, saidrod and connection operating to move the last and footwear carriedthereby to an inoperative position in the movement of the pillar frompressing position, complementary means on the last and pillar toguidethe last during its movement relative to the pillar, the connectionbetween the rod and lastintegral with the heel portion of the last, anda projection on the last pillar to be engaged by said connection tosupport the last when the latter is in pressing relation to the lastpillar.

a 9. In a sole pressing machine, a last pillar, a smoothing lastsupported by and movable relative to the pillar, the toe side of thepillar projecting toward the toe portion of the last and the heelportion of the last projecting outwardly beyond the heel side of thepillar, means for operating the pillar, a rod connected to the machineand controlled in the movement of the last to move the last into anoperative position with respect to the pillar when the pillar is raisedand to move the last to a different position relative to the pillar whenthe pillar is lowered, the pillar being formed with an arcuate slot andthe last being provided with a projection to slide into said slot tocompel predetermined movement of the last with respect to the pillar, aconnection integral with and depending from the last and removablyconnected to said rod to compel corresponding movement of the last inthe movement of the rod, a sleeve mounted for sliding movement withrespect to the pillar and connected to the rod, and a spring to maintainconnection between the rod and last projection.

10. In a sole pressing machine, a smoothing last, a last carryingpillar, the toe side of the said last pillar projecting toward the toeportion of the last and the heel portion of the said smoothing lastprojecting over the heel side of the said pillar, a rod connected to themachine and controlled by the machine to move the last on the raising ofthe last pillar into the pressing position and to move the last on thelowering of the last pillar towards the toe of the footwear, the lastgripping round the last pillar.

11. In a sole pressing machine, a form, a last pillar having a lastsupporting surface formed with a projecting toe part and a reduced heelpart, a last mounted for sliding cooperation with the pillar anddesigned to receive the footwear, said last having an operative positionwith the toe portion of the last supported by the toepart of the pillarand theheel portion of the last projecting outwardly beyond the heelpartof the pillar and an inoperative position with the toe portion ofthe last projected further beyond the toe part of the pillar and theheel portion of the last practically overlying the heel part of thepillar, means for moving the pillar, last and footwear carried therebyto and from pressing cooperation with the form, and means controllingthe last during the pillar movements to move the last to an operativeposition in the movement ofv the pillar toward pressing position and tomove the last to an inoperative position during movement of the pillarfrom pressing position, the movement of the last to an inoperativeposition disposing the leg part of the footwear on the last forconvenient removal from the last pillar.

12. A construction as defined in claim 11, wherein the last pillar andlast are formed with complementary means to compel a sliding movement ofthe last with respect to the pillar.

13. A construction as defined in claim 11, wherein the means foroperating the last during pillar movements is limited in effect on thelast to insure predetermined last positions in both 0perative andinoperative relation of the last and pillar.

KURT SANDT.

